Impact on the Leafs Legacy: This Year's Final 4

I know many people think that we, as fans of the Blue and White, are too Leaf-centric.

This is totally and utterly true.  It is not that we are not aware of other teams in the NHL, it is just that we don't care nearly as much about them.  How does this year's final four impact the Leaf Legacy?  Let's discuss.

Let's look at who is left:

Detroit

Chicago

Pittsburgh

Carolina

Now let's look at each one of them winning the Cup and how it would affect the Leafs standing in History.

Detroit - The class of the league when it comes to all levels starting with the Owners, Management, Coaching, Scouting and players.  They have just been amazing in all areas.  One thing though... if they win the Cup this year, they will no longer be tied with the Leafs with 11 cups.  They will take their 12th cup and be the second overall franchise.  Are we really that bitter that we would cheer against such a great organization, cheer against a team that obviously deserves continued success?

Damn right we are that bitter.

So we can't cheer for the Redwings.

Chicago - Everyone is cheering for Chicago.  That upstart young team with great talent, playing beyond their years.  They relish the opportunity to have to go through the Juggernaut that is Detroit on the way to their first cup in 48 years.

There, I said it.  The reason why we cannot and must not cheer for Chicago to win the Cup.  They are the only team with a record of futility that is longer than the Leafs.  How could we, who take such a small comfort in the fact that we only have the second longest drought in original 6 history(especially after those F*CK!NG Blueshirts won it in '94) cheer for the Blackhawks?  Simple, we can't.

So the Cup winner has to be from the East, Right?

Let's look at Carolina.  First, we Leaf fans have a long memory.  The last time we got to a Conference Finals was in 2002 where we lost to... the Carolina Hurricanes.  The one year in recent memory that we had a pretty decent team, and lost to this team who's fans think that going fast and turning left in a car is a sport. 

With my Google-Aided memory, Carolina lost in 5 games to Detroit.  Detroit, a team the Leafs ALWAYS play hard... I think we could have done better than losing in 5 games.  (also note, winning the Cup that year would have put us at 12, and Detroit would only be going for it's 11th this year.)  To top it off, the Coach we ran out of town last year is at the helm(and he was also at the helm when they beat us in 2002.)  That smirky bastard who couldn't keep a line combination for more than half a period while in T.O. is just basking in his success.  Also, this sunbelt City won a cup only 3 years ago!  Travesty!

So we therefore cannot cheer for them. (Am I starting to sound like Vizzini from TPB?)

Now, that leaves us with Pittsburgh.  Crosby, Malkin, Gonchar, Fleury, Staal, Kunitz, Letang... the list goes on and on for good players.  They have almost lost their team, their owner is arguably the third best player of ALL TIME, they have sucked for so many years and have picked so many good players, they went through the worst experience last year of coming within 2 wins of hoisting the cup.  They have only won 2 cups in their entire history - no threat there.  They are the team many fans have adopted, to live vicariously through.  They would be the perfect team to cheer for.   I have only two words to refute that.

Hal Gill.

So is the question: who do we cheer for to win the Stanley Cup this year?

No, the question is who do we cheer against the least. 

Me, I can live with Hal Gill hoisting the cup... it is more palatable then the other three options.